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Bolton, who has lived in Westport, turns 61 on Wednesday. The singer-songwriter was born Feb. 26, 1953, in New Haven.
He recorded his first album using his original surname in 1975 and later known professionally as Michael Bolton.
Bolton originally performed in the hard rock and heavy metal genres from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, both on his early solo albums and those he recorded as the frontman of the band Blackjack.
Michael gained his first major hit as a songwriter, co-writing "How Am I Supposed to Live Without You" for Laura Branigan.
He achieved his greatest success in the late 1980s and early 1990s as a singer on the adult contemporary/easy listening charts.
His achievements include recording eight top 10 albums and two number one singles on the Billboard charts, as well as winning multiple American Music Awards and Grammy Awards.
He has made a number of cameo appearances in feature films and television, usually appearing as himself, such as in Meet Wally Sparks and The Nanny.
In 1993, he established the Michael Bolton Foundation (now Michael Bolton Charities) to assist women and children at risk from the effects of poverty as well as emotional, physical, and sexual abuse.
He also serves as the honorary chairman of Prevent Child Abuse America and the national chairman for This Close for Cancer Research.
He has received the Lewis Hine Award from the National Child Labor Committee, the Martin Luther King Award from the Congress of Racial Equality, and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor from the National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations.
The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce also recognized Bolton with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for his musical and charitable contributions.
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